Rocking-chair fan attachment.



A. J. SCHROEDER.

ROCKING CHAIR FAN ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. l9l6.

1,241,670. Patented Oct. 2,1917.

3 SHEETSr-SHEET 1.

A. J. SCHROEDER.

ROCKING CHAIR FAN ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. I916- 1 ,241 70, Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A. J. SCHROEDER.

ROCKING CHAIR FAN ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l0. l9l6.

1 241,670. Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. JZ

ANTHONY J. ,SCHROEDER, or no ALDsoNyi LE; LOUISIANA.

ROCKING-CHAIR FAN 'r'rAoHMnNT.

I 7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ANTHONY J SOI-IROE DER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of ,Donaldsonville, in theparishof Ascension. and State of Louisiana, have .inventedncertain new and useful .Improvements in Rocking-Chair Fan Attachments; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the;accompanying drawings, and to he numerals of.- reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved attachment for rocking chairs and other. ob-

,jects which are capable of a reciprocating movement whereby the attachment is caused tobe driven due. to such movement taking place. It is the ,purpose of this invention to apply the reciprocating movement of an object to. operate drivlngmeans for a fan mechanism whereby a current of air maybe setaip and by thecirculation of air thus obtained, a cooling elfect gained.

Itis an object therefore of this inven tion to. construct an attachment for connection upon a rocking chair, cradle, or other reciprocating object whereby the movements of the object. are transferred to driving mechanisms which ,in turn drive, through flexible shaft connections, a ball bearing fan mounted in a convenient and adjustable position to obtain a current or flow of air.

It is also an. object of this inventionto construct a driving mechanism adapted for connection to an oscillating or reciprocating object to receivemovement therefrom and to transform-such movement into a continuous movement in one direction to drive an auxiliary apparatus, such as a fan.

It is finally an object of this invention to construct an attachment adapted for connection to-a reciprocating object to-utilize the movement thereofin transferring the movement to an auxiliary mechanism for any purpose whatsoever.

Theiinvention (in a preferred form) is illustratedtin the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the;principles of my invention attachedupon a rocking chair and 1llustrat-.

ing. the operation indotted lines.

. Fig. 2.; is a vertical transverse sectional I i w l-the device vi hp r s omitted, .c n-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1916.

Patented Oct. 2, 19w.

Seria1.N0..90,135.

nectcd .onthe curved rocker of the chair shown-in section.

. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionalwiew of the lower portion of the device attached upon the curved rocker ofthc chair.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail illustrating in side elevation the. interior .mcchanisms .of

the. device.

Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail view with partsbrokcn away.and parts shown in. sec tion, illustrating the adjustable mounting for a fan adapted to be driven by the --attachment device.

i Fig. (5 is a sectional detail view illustrat ing the bearings and clutch for the fan.

Fig.7 is a detail of the roller clutclttaken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8. is a similar vie\v;of another oller release clutch usedain another .part of the mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the means for retaining .the flexible shaft leading to the fan connected to the driving means.

Fig. 10. is afragmentary top plan view witlrparts shown in section, of ,the upper portion of the device.

Fig. 11 is an.interiorview of a modified form of device.

Fig.12 is a top plan view of .the mechanisms shown in Fig. 11, with parts broken awayand shown irrsectionnnd parts omitted.

Fig. 13 is a sectional detail ,view illustrating an end elevation of, the driving mechanisms at the upper end of the struc" ture shownin Fig. .12.

Asshown in the drawings:

The reference,numeral 1,v indicates as a whole a rocking chair, the rockers of which are denoted by the reference numerals 2. The device for attachment to arocker, consists of a rectangular base frame 3, as clcarlyshown in'Fig. 3, and, mounted on one side thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, are laterally extending attachment bolts 4,,provided with wing nuts 5,011 each of which U-shaped clamping straps'o, are mounted, adapted to be clamped upon one of the rockers when the wing nuts 5, are tightened. Secured at each end in the rectangular frame 3, are pivot shafts or rods 7 and 8, shown in Fig. 4, and journaled on each thereof are long actuating levers 9 and 10, respectively, each havingan integrahhub portion whichfits around its pivot shaft. The-outer-ends ofl each of, .the actuating levers 9 and 10, are of yoke shape and journaled therein are small wheelsor rollers 11 and 12, respectively, which normally contact with the floor.

Secured to the rectangular frame 3, and extending upwardly therefrom isv a sheet metal housing, denoted as, a whole by the reference numeral 13, and as clearly shown in Fig. 1, of substantially trapezoidal shape in side elevation, and having an upper removable arched cover member 14. Secured rigidly within the upper end of the housing 13, and as well affording a brace therefor, is a small rectangular frame 15, shown in detail in'Fig. 10, and mounted transversely thereof is a shaft 16. J ournaled on said shaft 16, is a sleeve 17 havinga central toothed clutch portion or spider 18, forminga part of a double clutch mechanism, and journaled upon said shaft 16, near one end thereof is' a large gear 19, having a jaw clutch connection 20, with said. sleeve 17, whereby said gear 19,'may be driven thereby. J ournaled on one end of the sleeve 17, is a drum 23, and on the other end thereof is another drum 24, the inner flanges of each of said drums being increased in diameter and flanged toward one another, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, bearing against a separator ring 25,-disposed around the double clutch element 18.- Said double clutch element 18, is provided with a series of'teeth, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, disposed on each side of the separator ring 25, and each provided with a series of rollers 26, adapted to co-act with the inwardly flanged portions of the respective drums 23 and 24, whereby each of said drums is capable of transmitting a drive through said rollers to the clutch ele-' ment 18, in one direction, yet permitting the clutch element 18, to over-run either of the V respective drums 23 and 24.

Journaled at one end of the small rectangular frame 15, is a pinion-27, meshing with the gear 19, to be driventhereby, and con-' nected to be driven by said pinion is one element 28, of a jaw clutch, the other element 29, of said jaw clutch being removable therefrom, though held engaged therewith by insertion through a sleeve 30, provided on said frame 15, and by a curved pivoted retaining arm 31, normally impelled into engaging position by a spring 32, engaging in a groove provided in the outer end of said clutch element. The outer end .of said clutch element 29, is connected in any suitable manner to a flexible shaft 33, leading through a flexible tube '34, which in turn leads'to an upright rigid bracket tube 35, held by means of clamps 36,"-upon the arm of the rocking chair. 1. Adjusting bolts 37 and 38, are provided for saidlclamping arms 36, to hold the same in clamping relation upon the arm of the rocker and also permit of vertical as well as rotationaladjustm'ent ing a part thereof, which projects inwardly and sustains the weight of the fan upon ball bearings 43, the race for which is afforded by a cylindrical member 44,- which extends into the sleeve 39, and is rigidlysecured' therein. A ball clutch connection is pro vided between the shaft 40, and the hub member 42, to drive the fan,"as shown'in detail in Fig. 7, said shaft40, for this parpose having fixed thereto a spider 45, rotatingwithin the hub member and provided with a series of rollers 46, adapted'wliensaid spider is rotated. in one direction'to wedge the rollers into contact with the inner periphery of the member 42, to thereby drive the fan.

The driving connection. between the actu ating levers 9 and 10,-by which the rocking.

movement of the rocker is transmitted as rotational movement tothe drums 23 and 24, is provided by cords or cables 47 and 48,

respectively. One end of the cable 47 ,is-

attached to the end of the actuating lever 9,

and wound with a few turns around the drum 23, and then led downwardly andcon nected to the outer end'of the actuating lever 10, and the other cord 48, is connected at the same pointon the actuating lever 10, as the last mentioned cord 47, andis led upwardly and around the-drum 24, and

downwardly to'the same point on the outer end of the actuating lever 9, as the first mentioned cord 47 In the modified form'of my invention illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, I have utilized actuating levers 49 and 50, respectively, having small wheels'or rollers 51 and. i

52, journaled in the outer ends thereof. Said actuating levers 49 and 50, are pivotally mounted somewhat as 'described with reference to the actuating levers 9-and 1 0, and at their'inner ends have formed integral therewith gear segments 53 and 54, respectively, the latter meshing-with a small pinion 56, and the former meshing with a small idler pinion 55, which in't'urn meshes with a p1n1on 57.- Thus a downward movement of the gear segment53, will-transmit move-- ment through'the idler pinion 55, in one direction to thepinion 57, and a downward movement of the segment-54, will likewise transmit a similar direction of movement directly to said pinion 56." The pinions-56 and 57, are mounted upon a shaft 58,-which extends transversely through bearings provided in the framework of the structure, and

are each operatively;[associated 'with one member "of" a. double clutchflnechani'sm.

This double clutch mechanism is denoted respectively by the reference numerals 59 and 60, and is adapted to transmit movement in a manner similar to the double clutch mechanism 18232 l, to a large driving gear 61, journaled on the shaft. The driving gear 61, meshes with a small pinion 62, which has releasable clutch engagement by means of a clutch 63, with a flexible shaft 6 1, which leads upwardly to drive a fan as in the construction previously described.

The operation is as follows:

The device is clamped upon one of the rockers 2, of the rocking chair, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3, by means of the clamps (3, provided for the purpose. As a result, when the rocking chair is caused to oscillate through the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 1, the frame of the attachment will be moved therewith, thus causing relative movement between the frame of the attachment and the actuating levers 9 and 10, on which the rollers 11 and 12, are mounted, to take place. The relative oscillating movement between the frame of the device and the actuating levers 9 and 10, causes the cords 17 and L8, to rotate the respective drums 23 and 2%, whereby, through the clutch mechanisms provided, said drums act to transmit a continuous movement of rotation to the driving gear 19. The drive from the gear 19, is of course transmitted from the small pinion 27, to the flexible shaft which leads upwardly to the fan 11, and serves to drive the same through the ball clutch mechanism 15 (L6. The fan may be adjusted to any position to direct a current of air, as desired, by adjustment of the upright member 35, in the bracket 36, and also by adjustment of the bearing bracket 39.

In the modified form of my device illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, the operation is identical with the exception that the drive from the actuating levers L9 and 50, provided, is slightly different in that the gear segments 53 and 5 1, respectively, formed thereon, serve to drive pinions, which in turn drive a main driving gear 61, through clutch mechanisms 59 and 60. The arrangement of the gear mechanisms and clutches, however, is such that the same direction of rotation always is imparted to the gear 61, irrespective from which one of the levers 19 or 50, the drive is received, due to oscillating movements of the frame of the device with respect to said actuating levers.

I am aware that various details of con- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

struction may be varied through a wide range without departing from. the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a rocking chair, of a fan attachment therefor, comprising a housing adapted to be secured rigidly to the rocking chair, actuating levers pivotally mounted therein with their ends projecting in opposite directions therefrom, means on the ends thereof for contact with the floor, a driving gear, clutch mechanisms interposed between said driving gear and levers whereby rotation of said gear in one direction only is effected by the movement of said levers, a fan mounted upon the rocking chair, and flexible driving connections between said fan and said gear.

2. The combination with a rocking chair, of a fan attarlnnent therefor comprising a housing adapted to be secured rigidly to the rocking chair, actuating levers pivotally mounted therein with their ends projecting in opposite directions therefrom, means on the ends thereof for contact with the floor, drums mounted within said housing, cables wound around said drums and each connected to the inner ends of both of said actuating levers, a driving gear, clutch mechanisms interposed between said driving gear and drums whereby rotation of said gear in one direction only is effected by the movement of said drums, a fan mounted upon the rocking chair, and flexible driving connections between said fan and said gear.

3. The combination with a rocking chair, of a fan attachment, comprising a pair of actuating levers, cables connected thereto, drums around which said cables are wound, a driving gear, clutch mechanisms interposed between said drums and said driving gear whereby said gear is driven in one direction by said drums driven by the cables, a pinion operated by said driving gear, a flexible shaft connected to said pinion, a fan adjustably mounted upon the rocking chair, and clutch mechanisms interposed between said flexible driving shaft and said fan whereby the fan is driven thereby.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTHONY J. SCHROEDER.

Witnesses Cnanmss W. Hnms, Jr., EARL M. I'IARDINE.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

